Producer Jerry Bruckheimer insists they couldn't possibly make a follow-up to the 1986 classic movie if the 53-year-old actor wasn't on board to reprise his role as Lieutenant Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell .

Asked if Tom was coming back, Jerry - who hinted at the possibility on Twitter in January - told 'Entertainment Tonight': "Yeah, of course. You don't make 'Top Gun' without Tom Cruise!"

Meanwhile, the producer also confirmed a 'Bad Boys 3' will only happen if Will Smith and Martin Lawrence take part, while he has also "had discussions with Eddie [Murphy] and Paramount" about a potential 'Beverly Hills Cop 4' movie.

Jerry previously revealed he had met with Tom in New Orleans in January to discuss the possible sequel.

Taking to his Twitter account, the producer uploaded a photograph of the pair smiling together and captioned it: "Just got back from a weekend in New Orleans to see my old friend @TomCruise and discuss a little Top Gun 2 (sic)"

The original 'Top Gun' was a big box office success and has gone on to achieve classic status amongst film fans due to its high octane jet fights, quotable lines which include "I feel the need ... the need for speed" and the love story between Cruise's Maverick and Kelly McGillis, who played Charlie Blackwood.

The film's soundtrack was also lauded and Berlin's track 'Take My Breath Away' - written by Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock - went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song.